No Fear
01.25.2010
Winter is tough. Winter near the Arctic Circle is especially tough. I went to the doctor recently and found out my Vitamin D level is scarily low. Is that really shocking? My skin has not encountered a UV ray since August 17th.
Most days Jaden and I are confined indoors. Any change in venue from my living room is welcome. Going to Target is less of a shopping excursion than an entertainment option. I have no qualms about going to the grocery store for one item. I relish the days when I get to pick-up my husband’s dry-cleaning. We do what we have to do to stay sane.
On a slightly more appropriate-for-toddler-level, I do take Jaden to our local gym regularly. They have a kid’s play gym there that is 3+ stories tall complete with two ball pits. I know these ball areas are infamous for their viral contagions/square inch ratio. I can’t say that I really care. The front desk worker told me that they clean the balls once a week. Great! That beats how often I clean the nastiest places in my house.
Here’s the thing: I am a big believer in immune systems (aside from my sister’s…hers is On Notice indefinitely.) There was an article in the New York Times a while ago concerning the fact that kids are too clean these days. The long and the short of the article is that kids do not need to wash their hands every 30 seconds, and that a little dirt is actually good for bolstering children’s immune systems.
So I let Jaden swim around in the cesspool of bacteria and god-knows-what-else. If I am being honest, it is because he likes it and it gets us out of the house. But, if it helps him get a little dirtier…well, I’ll just call it secondary gain.
01/25/2010 at 3:07 pm
Cute pictures of Jaden in the ball pit…germs be damned. An Omma’s gotta do what a Omma’s gotta do.
I totally know what you mean about having to get out of the house. D & I went to the grocery for 2 items and Walgreen’s for 2 items today after lunch. Riding in the cart (another place for a science experiment…but yes, I wipe the handle…since he usually insists on doing a taste test at least 2-3 times despite my telling him not to) was major excitement for him…and for me. He loves looking around at all the stuff and smiling at all the people. He was obsessed with some Hot Wheels at Walgreen’s today…I swear he can spot cars/trucks from a mile away. So far he doesn’t have a melt down when we don’t purchase toys…that probably won’t last long.
01/27/2010 at 8:53 am
Adorable picture! I agree…being trapped indoors while sub zero temps rage outside is no fun! S.A.D. knows where it’s at! Hopefully we can venture to Target for an item or two to stave off your boredom
01/27/2010 at 5:19 pm
Where in the world do you live? Wow – sounds cold! I’m also big on boosting Alex’s immune system. I’m not wiping him down every 30 seconds. I was a tad more parinoid during the whole h1n1 thing – however I let him enjoy getting dirty at times – that is what being a kid is all about!
01/27/2010 at 5:56 pm
Okay, so maybe I slightly exaggerated about the cold. The high for the next 4 days is 13 degrees Fahrenheit. It was above freezing last week and I thought we had hit the jackpot. Probably not the coldest place on earth, but somedays it feels like it! My friends in Winnipeg laugh at my complaints.
Agreed on the h1n1 ordeal…so I do sanitize more often than I would be inclined to naturally.
All told, spring will be a welcome season for many reasons!